THE PAST HUNTS THE WAY FORWARD.

AGRICULTURE IS THE BACKBONE OF PAKISTAN

The caliph leans forward, gearing at the old man waiting for his answer but, as he has done so many times before, Ibn Hambal ignores the inquisitor’s question and instead replies with a smile, “I testified that there is no “God but God”. Al-Mutasim sinks back into his throne, cursing his brother under his breadth, while Ibn Hambal is taken outside, suspended between two poles and flogged. This story goes on incessantly in the Muslim world to this day and hunts our way forward. None of this is new, the rulers are Al-Mutasim and populace is Ibn-Hambal of course violent internecine conflict is a regular feature of our rulers. Most of our rulers are usurpers, corrupt to the core, anti-people, work against national interest to prolong their rule be conceding national interests and procuring foreign endorsements.

Of thousands of birds, who began the journey with the hope; only thirty make to the end. With hopeless hearts and tattered “trailing wings” These thirty birds are led into the presence of the Simurgh, yet when they finally set their eyes upon him, they are astonished not to see the king of birds as they had expected but rather, they are themselves. Simurgh is the Persian word for thirsty birds. It is here at the end of the way that the birds are confronted with the reality that although they struggled, wandered travelled thus far, “It is themselves they sort and themselves they are.” “I am the mirror set before your eyes”. The Simurgh says, and all who come before my splendour only see themselves; their own unique reality. What now is the parliament comprising of NA, president Senate, it is a societal reflection. What we see in the parliament for the last 62 years is our self, our own unique reality. Election is the Simurgh of a given society, where every society can see it self, its own unique reality: Bad elections bring bad results and awfully bad rulers since elections are societal thought process, it brings us to the point that’s one of the worlds virtually important leverage factors. The effect of illiteracy on dynamic good governance and population growth.

Due to bad governance, corrupt ruling elite and the complacent attitude, beatitude and platitude of the populace towards these two issues. Well over 60% of our population is spending 70% of their income on food 20% on utility bills and 10% on health care.

Unfortunately no gout has done anything to rectify the wrongs of bad governance and ill-conceived policies responsible for the mess we find ourselves in. Gouts has been too busy in power politics, their self serving manner of governance has not only jeopardized the very existence of the country, it has done exacerbated the social system; with alarm bells ringing on food security. The callousness of permanent ruling Elite of Pakistan towards agriculture communities and indispensable form subsidy, water theft by India has depleted the soil massive irrigated lands. Water is running out and farm communities are leaving because of take all policies and iron grip of the food mafia. Live stock industry is not red alert decline and people are getting too poor to buy food at inflated prices.

Two bigwigs are playing 17 amendments and are emphasizing on every non issue from movement to movement.

There is absolutely not even a rudimentary Bench mark on food security, water productivity or improving productivity. Virgin land is being sold to foreign countries for cash flow. Most of the arable land for cultivation is declining since 1980 because of spread of housing societies, mini cities, industrial areas and highways without any thoughtful planning on account of relaxation of rulers, procedures to the benefit of permanent ruling elite of Pakistan. Adding to the misery of the masses health care is non-existent; the protein production has declined to an alarming low. Aqua culture is the only answer to future, but there is no concept of changing paradigm to our decider’s in-chief whose only hobby is to engage in constitutional monstrosities, amendments, protocol and blame game. The two Bigwigs are living in the 1990s and playing the same games with their court clowns promoting them in purchased TV talk shows.

There is absolutely no peeping into the future no realization of dangers looming large on our heads. No body seems to understand say Organic farming, it’s a taboo without any realization that organic farming seeks to brings back with efficient composting and animal fertilizers the quality of soil that has been degraded by excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers and poisons. There is no worse way for a society to have undeserving unqualified leaders who lack the ability to make critical scientific decisions than to have hysterical crowds in streets shouting slogans to remove of approve judges, amendments and other self serving issues. The way forwards is to give up on old days and old ways , lets start giving people a chance to begin with, give food security, farm subsidies water production, water management, quality education a top priority; conceive a marshal plan on these bases which remain unaltered for 30 years. The 2 front line parties are incapable of conceiving a notion other than self-serving adhocism. These two parties and their leadership has out-lived their utility and have become addict to their controversial procedure of politics where people country and welfare don’t account for and are non-existent. There seems to be a consensus that had the establishment better designed than in their matrix of political nurseries, things might have been different. These aging political legions have become inflexible, crafty, and bureaucratic thinking of only protecting their job. We have today, a political culture in which new leaders; new ideas don’t get through because the political culture is sick, obsolete, corrupt and utterly intolerant. It is loaded down with baggage of the past controversies, emotions, passions and self-serving cumbersome, hierarchal structures. These structures are very expensive and take a toll on the tax payer. The way forward is a culture of political alliances, tolerance of adversaries, small cabinets, less expensive and more responsible civil service, strong profession military, independent judiciary, independent election commission and induction of fresh leadership conducive to the changing times.

The 21st century is an extra ordinary time for Pakistan to take-off, our geography is amazing, our people are awesome, we have been through highs and lows acquiring ample of experience; we are a country of extremes. We can, yes, we can create a great country based on participatory democracy and inclusive civilization or we can continue with this flawed old leadership who can given the past record trigger a dark age lopping large in Pakistan. There is numerous ways we can steer future events, so as to avoid catastrophes that lark in our path due to our quarrelsome culture. We can create new opportunities for a better Pakistan; with new leadership and a fresh start we can tap ourselves and make our children have a great role to play in it. We can explore a new potential of our ignored agriculture. Pakistan has the largest contiguous irrigated area in the world, a system well developed over more than a hundred years. The soil is very good carried, for hundreds and thousands of years by rivers that flow from high mountains now India is out stealing those waters unabated. The farming population is hard working if given tools of technology they can work wonders for economy, they are reasonably receptive to change.

This 70% population is being ignored by the ruling elite of Pakistan to an alarming degree. Agriculture in Pakistan has the potential to contribute to the solution of the seriously developing energy problem .Its time for a change, can we do it? Yes, we can, if we all pull in the same direction.